To a Sky-Lark Up with me! up with me into the clouds!
For thy song, Lark, is strong;
Up with me, up with me into the clouds!
Singing, singing,
With all the heav’ns about thee ringing,
Lift me, guide me, till I find
That spot which seems so to thy mind!
I have walked through wilderness dreary,
And today my heart is weary;
Had I now the soul of a Faery, 10
Up to thee would I fly.
There is madness about thee, and joy divine
In that song of thine
Up with me, up with me, high and high,
To thy banqueting-place in the sky!
Joyous as Morning, Thou art laughing and scorning;
Thou has a nest, for thy love and thy rest:
And, though little troubled with sloth,
Drnken Lark! thou would’st be loth
To be such a Traveller as I. 20
Happy, happy Liver!
With a soul as strong as a mountain River,
Pouring out praise to the Almighty Giver,
Joy and jollity be with us both!
Hearing thee, or else some other,
As merry a Brother,
I on the earth will go plodding on,
By myself, cheerfully, till the day is done.
significance of title
A skylark is noted for its singing while in flight. The word sky means the space seen when one looks upwards. The wordlark means bird, and has the secondary meanings of merry and good-nature.
This relates to the poem as the speaker in this poem is moved by the song sung by a skylark. The speaker doesnt see the skylark as being just a bird, but something that is pouring down happiness from above. He then begins to address the skylark. The speaker thanks it, compliments its song and believes they share a brother-like bond. The poem is really about a man accepting a merry song sung from something high above, and being inspired by it.
Analysis
In the first stanza, the speaker is trying to understand what the skylark is singing. "up with me, up with me into the clouds! singing, ginging" the repetitioin of the word "cloud" emphasizes the freedom in nature. The speaker says the sound a skylark makes resounds so beautifully it travels right up to heaven "with all the heav'ns about thee ringing" and he wishes to be raised to heaven "left me, guide me, till i find that spot which seems so to thy mind!" he wants to enter this "spot" which he can only see in mind "that spot which seems so to thy mind"
in the second stanza, the speaker contrasts the sad thoughts"my heart is weary" of the "wilderness dreary" with the happy thoughts of heaven where he wishes to go" up to thee would i fly" His current feelings of "wilderness dreary" and "heart is weary" can be ended if he is able to break free by flying away. The speaker is saying that he is confined by his human self. He wishes to fly up to the skylark, if only he was a"faery"
The speaker then describes the mood of the song. "there is madness about thee, and joy divine" within this song. The speaker is not blatant with his views on the song's mood. He does not say the song is all good or all bad, but a misture of both. This gives the feeling that the song is powerful and has great potential as it brings a variety of thoughts to the mind. Madness, joy, drunken and laughing are all emotions felt by peple when they dont restrain themselves. Wordsworths believed that by not restraining yourself, you can become closer to nature. The speaker therefore allows this song to take him on a ride.
Line 14 repeats the verse "up with me, up with me me" suggests the skylark sings continuously. The speaker thinks the skylark is inviting him to this "banqueting-place in the sky! joyous as morning" it is flying towards. but ofcourse he is guessing merely from the sounds of the song it sings.
In line 17, the speaker believes the skylark is looking down from the sky, laughing at what's on the ground. "thou art laughing and scourning" The skylark has a comfortable home in nature "thou has a nest, for thy love and thy rest" and lives a comfortable life " though little troubled by sloth, Drunken Lark!" the words sloth and drunken gives the idea of merry, carefree and love in nature. The speaker compares his life with the skylark's " thou would'st be loth to be such a traveller as I" He thinks the skylark has a much better life."happy, happy Liver!"
From lines 22 onwards, the speaker believes the skylark and himself are equal as they are both creations of nature. He compliments the skylark's values "with a soul as strong as a mountain River" The mountain river symbolises the persistent, continoues flow of water . "pouring out praise to the almightly giver" probably means the skylark praises nature with its song, as a skylark does pour its beautiful sound from its mouth from above. He then prays that they will both have happiness. "joy and jollity be with us both!"
In the last 4 lines, the speaker says that by hearing this song, he has become enlightened by the moods the song has created. He associates skylarks as his "brothers" as they are both creations of nature, or perhaps his bond with this skylark has become brotherlike. "Hearing thee, or else some other, As merry a Brother"
In the last two lines the speaker says he will continue "plodding on" on the ground alone ,away from the skylark, because it will continue to fly in the sky. the "banqueing-place" or "heaven"
"till the day is done" means until the speaker can walk no more, and hopefully is then allowed to rise up to the sky and meet the skylark once more.
Translation
here's a literal translation of the poem Up with me! up with me into the clouds! The skylark is believed to invite the speaker up into the clouds or wherever it is flying.
For thy song, Lark, is strong; speaker says the skylarks sings a strong song
Up with me, up with me into the clouds! second invitation up to the clouds
Singing, singing, continuous sound of the song fills the sky
With all the heav’ns about thee ringing, the song reaches up to as far as the heavens. It is so beautiful, it travels far
Lift me, guide me, till I find speaker requests to be raised up to the clouds
That spot which seems so to thy mind! He can imagine the setting up there but wants to experience it in reality
I have walked through wilderness dreary, The speaker has felt left out in society
And today my heart is weary; His heart is tired of being alone
Had I now the soul of a Faery, if i had the soul of a fairy10
Up to thee would I fly. i would fly up to the sky
There is madness about thee, and joy divineThe speaker feels both madness and joy
In that song of thine in the skylark’s song
Up with me, up with me, high and high, the skylark continues to sing the same thing as in line 3
To thy banqueting-place in the sky! skylark invites the speaker to a rich, beautiful place above the ground
Joyous as Morning, this place is as pleasant as the morning sun Thou art laughing and scorning; The skylark is looking down and laughing at what it sees on the ground
Thou has a nest, for thy love and thy rest: the skylark has a comfortable home where it can rest and be loved for.
And, though little troubled with sloth, the skylark is not lazy but has a comfortable home where it can relax in
Drnken Lark! thou would’st be loth the speaker says the skylark would be unwilling
To be such a Traveller as I. 20to exchange lives with the speaker.
Happy, happy Liver!speaker thinks the skylark has a good life
With a soul as strong as a mountain River, having a soul as strong as a mountain river,
Pouring out praise to the Almighty Giver, singing beautifully to praise nature,
Joy and jollity be with us both! the skylark and the speaker shall both have joy and happiness
Hearing thee, or else some other, hearing from this skylark, or from another skylark of its kind
As merry a Brother, is like hearing from a brother
I on the earth will go plodding on, i will carry on living on the ground By myself, cheerfully, till the day is done. Alone, happily until my time has come
Summary
The speaker encounters a skylark singing as it flies in the clouds. The speaker is emotional touched by this song and the sound this skylark makes is continuous, and resounds from the sky, down to him. The song creats many moods, and makes him feel both happy and sad "my heart is weary" "soul of a faery" The song this skylark sings brings a variety of emotions.
The skylark is believed by the speaker, to be inviting him up to the clouds and into the "banqueting-place" a rich and pleasant place where the skylark rests and feels loved.
The skylark and the speaker both have strong connections with nature, and the speaker like to think the skylark not only as a bird, but a brother-like figure as he believes they are common. Both creations of nature.
In the end the speaker leaves the skylark, feeling abit sad "i on the earth will go plodding on, by myself". The farewells this brother-like bird and hints they will meet again when his "day is done" presumably when he dies and rises up to the skylark.
Up with me! up with me into the clouds!
For thy song, Lark, is strong;
Up with me, up with me into the clouds!
Singing, singing,
With all the heav’ns about thee ringing,
Lift me, guide me, till I find
That spot which seems so to thy mind!
I have walked through wilderness dreary,
And today my heart is weary;
Had I now the soul of a Faery, 10
Up to thee would I fly.
There is madness about thee, and joy divine
In that song of thine
Up with me, up with me, high and high,
To thy banqueting-place in the sky!
Joyous as Morning,
Thou art laughing and scorning;
Thou has a nest, for thy love and thy rest:
And, though little troubled with sloth,
Drnken Lark! thou would’st be loth
To be such a Traveller as I. 20
Happy, happy Liver!
With a soul as strong as a mountain River,
Pouring out praise to the Almighty Giver,
Joy and jollity be with us both!
Hearing thee, or else some other,
As merry a Brother,
I on the earth will go plodding on,
By myself, cheerfully, till the day is done.
significance of title
A skylark is noted for its singing while in flight. The word sky means the space seen when one looks upwards. The word lark means bird, and has the secondary meanings of merry and good-nature.
This relates to the poem as the speaker in this poem is moved by the song sung by a skylark. The speaker doesnt see the skylark as being just a bird, but something that is pouring down happiness from above. He then begins to address the skylark. The speaker thanks it, compliments its song and believes they share a brother-like bond. The poem is really about a man accepting a merry song sung from something high above, and being inspired by it.
Analysis
In the first stanza, the speaker is trying to understand what the skylark is singing. "up with me, up with me into the clouds! singing, ginging" the repetitioin of the word "cloud" emphasizes the freedom in nature. The speaker says the sound a skylark makes resounds so beautifully it travels right up to heaven "with all the heav'ns about thee ringing" and he wishes to be raised to heaven "left me, guide me, till i find that spot which seems so to thy mind!" he wants to enter this "spot" which he can only see in mind "that spot which seems so to thy mind"
in the second stanza, the speaker contrasts the sad thoughts"my heart is weary" of the "wilderness dreary" with the happy thoughts of heaven where he wishes to go" up to thee would i fly" His current feelings of "wilderness dreary" and "heart is weary" can be ended if he is able to break free by flying away. The speaker is saying that he is confined by his human self. He wishes to fly up to the skylark, if only he was a"faery"
The speaker then describes the mood of the song. "there is madness about thee, and joy divine" within this song. The speaker is not blatant with his views on the song's mood. He does not say the song is all good or all bad, but a misture of both. This gives the feeling that the song is powerful and has great potential as it brings a variety of thoughts to the mind. Madness, joy, drunken and laughing are all emotions felt by peple when they dont restrain themselves. Wordsworths believed that by not restraining yourself, you can become closer to nature. The speaker therefore allows this song to take him on a ride.
Line 14 repeats the verse "up with me, up with me me" suggests the skylark sings continuously. The speaker thinks the skylark is inviting him to this "banqueting-place in the sky! joyous as morning" it is flying towards. but ofcourse he is guessing merely from the sounds of the song it sings.
In line 17, the speaker believes the skylark is looking down from the sky, laughing at what's on the ground. "thou art laughing and scourning" The skylark has a comfortable home in nature "thou has a nest, for thy love and thy rest" and lives a comfortable life " though little troubled by sloth, Drunken Lark!" the words sloth and drunken gives the idea of merry, carefree and love in nature. The speaker compares his life with the skylark's " thou would'st be loth to be such a traveller as I" He thinks the skylark has a much better life."happy, happy Liver!"
From lines 22 onwards, the speaker believes the skylark and himself are equal as they are both creations of nature. He compliments the skylark's values "with a soul as strong as a mountain River" The mountain river symbolises the persistent, continoues flow of water . "pouring out praise to the almightly giver" probably means the skylark praises nature with its song, as a skylark does pour its beautiful sound from its mouth from above. He then prays that they will both have happiness. "joy and jollity be with us both!"
In the last 4 lines, the speaker says that by hearing this song, he has become enlightened by the moods the song has created. He associates skylarks as his "brothers" as they are both creations of nature, or perhaps his bond with this skylark has become brotherlike. "Hearing thee, or else some other, As merry a Brother"
In the last two lines the speaker says he will continue "plodding on" on the ground alone ,away from the skylark, because it will continue to fly in the sky. the "banqueing-place" or "heaven"
"till the day is done" means until the speaker can walk no more, and hopefully is then allowed to rise up to the sky and meet the skylark once more.
Translation
here's a literal translation of the poem
Up with me! up with me into the clouds! The skylark is believed to invite the speaker up into the clouds or wherever it is flying.
For thy song, Lark, is strong; speaker says the skylarks sings a strong song
Up with me, up with me into the clouds! second invitation up to the clouds
Singing, singing, continuous sound of the song fills the sky
With all the heav’ns about thee ringing, the song reaches up to as far as the heavens. It is so beautiful, it travels far
Lift me, guide me, till I find speaker requests to be raised up to the clouds
That spot which seems so to thy mind! He can imagine the setting up there but wants to experience it in reality
I have walked through wilderness dreary, The speaker has felt left out in society
And today my heart is weary; His heart is tired of being alone
Had I now the soul of a Faery, if i had the soul of a fairy10
Up to thee would I fly. i would fly up to the sky
There is madness about thee, and joy divine The speaker feels both madness and joy
In that song of thine in the skylark’s song
Up with me, up with me, high and high, the skylark continues to sing the same thing as in line 3
To thy banqueting-place in the sky! skylark invites the speaker to a rich, beautiful place above the ground
Joyous as Morning, this place is as pleasant as the morning sun
Thou art laughing and scorning; The skylark is looking down and laughing at what it sees on the ground
Thou has a nest, for thy love and thy rest: the skylark has a comfortable home where it can rest and be loved for.
And, though little troubled with sloth, the skylark is not lazy but has a comfortable home where it can relax in
Drnken Lark! thou would’st be loth the speaker says the skylark would be unwilling
To be such a Traveller as I. 20 to exchange lives with the speaker.
Happy, happy Liver! speaker thinks the skylark has a good life
With a soul as strong as a mountain River, having a soul as strong as a mountain river,
Pouring out praise to the Almighty Giver, singing beautifully to praise nature,
Joy and jollity be with us both! the skylark and the speaker shall both have joy and happiness
Hearing thee, or else some other, hearing from this skylark, or from another skylark of its kind
As merry a Brother, is like hearing from a brother
I on the earth will go plodding on, i will carry on living on the ground
By myself, cheerfully, till the day is done. Alone, happily until my time has come
Summary
The speaker encounters a skylark singing as it flies in the clouds. The speaker is emotional touched by this song and the sound this skylark makes is continuous, and resounds from the sky, down to him. The song creats many moods, and makes him feel both happy and sad "my heart is weary" "soul of a faery" The song this skylark sings brings a variety of emotions.
The skylark is believed by the speaker, to be inviting him up to the clouds and into the "banqueting-place" a rich and pleasant place where the skylark rests and feels loved.
The skylark and the speaker both have strong connections with nature, and the speaker like to think the skylark not only as a bird, but a brother-like figure as he believes they are common. Both creations of nature.
In the end the speaker leaves the skylark, feeling abit sad "i on the earth will go plodding on, by myself". The farewells this brother-like bird and hints they will meet again when his "day is done" presumably when he dies and rises up to the skylark.